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[This recipe got new photos in 2018 mostly because I was tired of looking at the old ones, heheh.]

Yes, crack. As in “made with crackers”, as in “crackly like toffee” but also in reference to the addictive nature of this stuff. I may make what seems like an elaborate cake a week these days, I might bake my own icebox wafers and fill and frost my cupcakes but these things right here? They’re the thing everyone asks for by name, and they take almost no time to make.

Thus, despite that fact that this recipe is incredibly easy to find elsewhere on the web, it only seems right to give it a home here as well. Because if there was one person out there that hasn’t made it yet that makes it after reading this, my work here will be done.

You start with a foil and parchment-lined baking sheet, a fantastic thing if you, like me, hate doing dishes. (And seriously, if you don’t hate doing dishes, who are you? And would you like to come over?) You lay out the cracker of your choice — for this week’s festivities, we used matzo but, trust me, if you try it with Saltine crackers, it just might blow your mind — in a single sheet, make a quick brown sugar caramel and bake it onto the crackers for a few minutes. Hot from the oven, you drop chocolate chips on top and when they’ve softened a minute later, spread them into a thin layer. Sprinkling it with sea salt or toasted, chopped nuts is optional, all that matters is that you share with me.

Oh, and this can be our little secret, but you might consider not putting all of the crack(ers) out when your friends and family come over. Because it might just disappear before you get any, and then you’ll wake up the next morning, well, fiending and regretful that you didn’t get any, with no choice but to make some more. Don’t say these didn’t come with a warning label.

Prepare your pan: Heat your oven to 350°F. Line an 13×18-inch (half-sheet) pan completely with foil, then line it again with parchment. This seems excessive but the foil will keep your pan near and the parchment will keep the crackers from sticking to the foil. You’ll be glad you did.

Line the bottom of the baking sheet with matzo or crackers, covering all parts in a single layer. [If using matzo, you’ll need to break pieces to fit any extra spaces, which will be annoying because despite being perforated, it does not actually break in straight lines. I have some luck making cuts by gently, carefully sawing with a serrated knife.]

Make the caramel/toffee: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and whisk it over medium heat until it begins to boil. Once it has begun boiling, let it bubble for 3 more minutes, whisking it the whole time. The butter and sugar will come together, and the mixture will thicken a little as it cooks. Remove from the heat and add a couple good pinches of sea salt and vanilla, if using, and then quickly pour it over the matzo or crackers. Use an offset spatula to spread the caramel quickly over all the crackers, as it will begin to set as soon after it is poured.

Bake: The caramel-covered crackers for 13 to 15 minutes, watching carefully as it will bubble and the corners might darken too quickly and/or burn. You can reduce the heat if you see this happening.

Finish the crackers: Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes, and then use an offset spatula to spread them in an even layer over the caramel. If you’re using them, sprinkle the chocolate with toasted chopped nuts and/or sea salt. (The extra sea salt is great on matzo. On saltines, it’s really not necessary.)

Cool: Once completely cool — I speed this along in the freezer, impatient as should be expected in the face of caramel crack(ers) — break or cut it into pieces and place in an airtight container. When cleaning up, you’ll see a lot of messy crumbs and bits; sweep them all into a jar for the best ice cream topping that has ever existed, trust me.

To store: Keep both the jar of crumbs and the crack(ers) in the fridge; it won’t go bad at room temperature but it’s less sticky and messy when it’s cold. It should keep for a week but I’ve never seen it last that long.

Oh I got this recipe (the Saltine version) from a co-worker years ago and I’ve made them every year as a Christmas treat since. I try not to make them the rest of the year because I can see myself making and eating pan after pan after pan. I’ve never used matzoh crackers, but I bet they’d be good as well.

So I’m pretty sure this will be phenomenal with toasted coconut over the top. And you know, I just happen to have some leftover after all those balls I was handling last weekend. Funny how things just work out like that…

I’ve been making this recipe for years at Passover. I’ve never used parchment on top of the foil…and have never had a problem…so save yourself the extra expense (and the environment) and eliminate the parchment. Only the foil is necessary.

Well, consider your work done on this one. I would never, EVER have made this recipe. I have passed it up many times. But your glowing accolades and recommendation have convinced me to try it for an upcoming event.

Been a lurker for a while now, I am in love with Smitten Kitchen and regularly rave about this site with friends. This post compelled me to write though, I think I have to make these in the morning! My favorite things all together in one easy, clean-up dish? Can it get any better? Thank you, Deb!

You are so right..this stuff is addictive. We have to have it as a summer treat, when it’s dry here in CA. During the winter holidays is when I want it, but the rainy weather makes the toffee sticky and icky! But, summers comin! You’re safe, for now, but soon..it’ll be too humid there. Aw..buzz kill!

I married a Jew YEARS ago and only yesterday for the first time learned about “matzo brittle.” And then you go and post the gourmet version, so of course this is what I’m going to make for the family dinner this weekend. With sea salt, it sounds PERFECT, thank you!

This looks so addictive. I love stuff like this. Mmm, all you had to do was say caramel and chocolate and you had me sold. Plus, this makes Passover all the more exciting…mmmm, chocolate and caramel matzoh…delicious!

Yay! I love matzoh toffee SO much and spend every Passover trying to spread the Good News about it to everyone in earshot. I lit my oven on fire the first time I made it (miniature, ridiculous oven + tired law student brain + forgot to reduce the proportions in the sugar mixture to fit tiny oven = sugar mixture overflowed and caught on fire) and persevered to make it again…very much worth it. I feel like this is one of those Looks Much Harder Than It Is recipes that people are reluctant to try, but are amazed when they do as it’s really simple.

I just served this at my seder and it was a hit! I’ve found that halving the caramel is totally fine–it requires a little more spreading but it’s really enough. And I used a bar of dark chocolate, chopped up (all the chips I could find had soy lecithin in them, so not good for passover). mmmmm. is it wrong that I secretly put some aside before serving them?

haha, that would be ME, I actually like doing dishes. With all this yummy food you make all the time, I’d LOVE to come over and do your dishes if you feed me! I’ve subscribed to your site for a while now, but it’s my first time posting a comment. Thank you for your site. It makes me just want to cook! I recently made the mushroom bourguignon, OH YUM!

girl – you are the best! It reminds me of the cookie/cracker that I put in my recipe book and marked ugliest cracker in the world but the best! Now, have you tried the pretzels with rolos? Square pretzels lined up in a pan, 1 rolo on top, bake at 350 for 2 minutes, remove from oven and immediately top with 1/2 pecan. Outstanding!

A friend of mine from college used to call this matzoh brittle and make it around passover. He also made this yummy chocolate-chip cookie bread, but I forget what that was called. It was funny because, other than a couple of sweets from his family, he mostly learned to cook when he was the delivery boy for a Thai restaurant (on slow days, he would just hang around the kitchen, and sometimes go on grocery runs), so when I went over there for food, we had curry and matzoh brittle.

I’ve been making this for a few years and yes, it’s that addictive! A few differences, though:
I spray the hell out of the foil with Pam so it doesn’t stick. I use saltines and don’t cook it in the oven as long (only about 5 minutes). And I use a whole bag of semisweet chocolate chips and a bag of peanut butter chips (8 oz, smaller than the choco chip bag). Pop that back in the oven for a minute and then use a fork to break down the melted chips and spread it all over. Gawd, I want some NOW!

yes, love me some crack. the husband says it may be the only redeeming thing about passover! i always put it in the fridge or freezer – and actually prefer it that way! it also lasts longer – since it’s out of site!

So I made these and the chewy amaretti cookies for seder this year – i loved them! as did other guests at our seder! thanks for the goodies…

My mom snagged the recipe for these from the wife of one of my dad’s coworkers years ago, and we’ve been enjoying them ever since. Although my mom normally uses graham crackers with chocolate chips and crushed pecans, I’ve tried using saltines and adding shredded coconut and they’re fantastic. May have to try the matzo, though.

I made this for Passover this year, and I was disappointed, sadly. But I think it was because we went to a full-on kosher seder (as in, dairy-free Passover friendly desserts, as in, THANK GOD for your meringue cookie sandwiches, which get yummy and soft when filled with jam) so I had to use Earth Balance buttery dairy-free sticks. The recipe went well, and it all looked right, but the toffee tasted…off. Almost-but-not-quite burned and just…weird. I don’t know. I want to try it again with butter, but knowing how good these could be and having them taste off has filled me with ennui. Sigh.

I made the original version with saltines, but I’m always looking for an original recipe to serve at Passover. I never thought to do this with matzoh – brilliant! I can’t wait to try it next year. My seders are over for this year, and if I make it for just my immediate family I will eat the whole thing! So next year I will give this a try!

I totally agree with spreading the gospel of this recipe far and wide — I have been making matzoh crunch (what I call it) for a couple years now, and it is so delicious and so easy. I prefer bittersweet chocolate to semi-sweet, with a generous sprinkling of fleur de sel over (the fleur de sel’s flatter flakes seem to dissolve better on the tongue and also have a more potent, purer flavor). My co-worker just made them with cocoa nibs sprinkled on top of the chocolate, which sounds great, too.

Also, I’ve been hearing about this saltine idea for a long time. I always thought that matzoh would be the perfect vehicle for this candy — relatively neutral in flavor and cardboard-y enough in texture to support all this caramel and chocolate, whereas saltines would get soggy. But with your encouragement, next time I’ll try saltines.

Been making this at Christmas for a long time, and it is always a favorite. I love it because you can make 3-4 batches a night and it makes a lovely gift. For toppings I use almond slivers, toasted coconut, pecan pieces,and candy cane pieces (at Christmas natch), but I will definitely have to try sea salt. Also, Deb, Reynolds Release Wrap is truly the greatest invention since Gladware in my book. Could not live without it, especially when making stuff like this, and even when making brownies, etc.

By the way, I went to Whole Foods the night before I made these and grabbed a box of “Yehuda Organics” matzo, only to come home and find that it was WHOLE WHEAT. Which is so so so wrong (I mean, is it possible to make matzo taste worse? Yes it is!) and also completely not in the spirit of matzo crack. Also wrong: It is not labeled as such, you’d only know by checking the ingredients. So, this is part story, and part warning, so nobody else falls for the label trap.

No kidding…I literally got up to make these last night (from David Lebovitz’s site) but then decided I would be indulging in enough Easter food this weekend not to add more fuel to the fire. They can wait until next week. :D

I make this every year from the Marcy recipe (without the sea salt–must try that next time). It reminds me of those amazingly deadly Viennese crunch bars from the candy store. I wonder if it would work to crumble up the matzoh and mix it with the butter/sugar and drop them like cookies. Will try next time…

I made these (using Marcy Goldman’s recipe & added almonds) for last night’s seder and they were the biggest hit. People couldn’t believe matzah could taste so good!
To make it look a little prettier, I use a fork after I spread the chocolate chips to make lines horizontally & vertically…giving it a basket weave texture.

I actually made this for my LOST Pot Luck (don’t laugh) but I think I accidently printed out a recipe for crack, because it was THAT freaking good. I’m bringing the leftovers to my family Passover party, otherwise I’d eat it all and feel horrible about myself the next morning.

My Mom has made this for as long as I can remember (minus the almonds). We call it Soda Cracker Candy. You’re right, it is SO addictive. I love this stuff and can only make it once at Christmas time, otherwise I will eat the entire pan by.myself.

This may be a silly question, but what’s the point of the bakingl? Could I just cook the caramel to desired brown deliciousness, spread, wait to cool, then top with melted chocolate? I feel like I would have more control that way (control freak, hello!)… unless I’m missing something?

I used to make something like this when I was a kid, but the recipe was only slightly different. I’d use graham crackers, and the brown sugar and butter wouldn’t be heated long enough to make a proper caramel. Just a sort of sauce so that when poured over the crackers it would be a lot more buttery. The graham crackers would lend a different texture and flavor too. It’d get chewy in some places from absorbing the sauce, and still be crisp near the edges.

Deb–did you make it w/the whole wheat matzo? did it come out terribly? i made the same mistake and bought the whole wheat matzo (the only kind the bodega i went to had, oddly) and am wondering whether i can just go w/that or whether i need to go track down some regular matzo. thanks!

Lee — It helps it set in with the crackers a lot better. It bubbles up and around them and gets baked on, not just spread.

Amanda — I was rejiggering the sidebar one of the seventeen times I’ve done so in the last year and took it out briefly. And then I never put it back in because although I also loved the tagline, I decided it was too “insidery” wherein you had to click to another page, six bullet points down to find the meaning — I want people to feel at home as soon as they click over here, and not have to dig around for basic information. I probably didn’t explain my reasoning well — it made more sense in my head.

Albondigas — Nope! I asked Alex to stop at a “normal” store (Gristedes) on his way home for “normal” matzo, while the ww matzo and I are at a standstill. I’m considering whether peanut butter or laughing cow swiss spread would improve it, but I don’t have high hopes.

We make these every year for Christmas. I’ve never thought to make them during the year but then that’s how most of our cookie recipes are. I usually stick with chocolate chip cookies all the time except Christmas. Now I’m all hungry for them.. I think I’ll have to make them…

These look SO INCREDIBLE. Thank you so much for posting this recipe, because I’ve never heard of these before! What an awesome combo of sweet and salty and oooey-gooey! I was in the market for an interesting (read: not your basic brownies) dessert recipe to bring to an awards dinner next week, and this is totally it.

This recipe is hugely popular in my family! Unfortunately, I made this for Passover and lined my foil-covered pan with parchment paper…which then proceeded to glue itself to my matzoh! How do I rescue my chocolate-caramel matzoh crack?

I love this recipe, but I’ve never made it with matzo – just saltines (I need to be more adventurous). I’ve seen Ritz crackers substituted for the saltines, too, to make it even “butterier.” I’ll definitely try sprinkling some sea salt on top next time I make it – yummy! :)

Deb, as you put it, “your work here is done.” I saw this recipe for the first time this morning and made it with kid I babysat this afternoon. It’s great to find something to help tide us through the next un-leavened week! Incidentally, I’ve been following your blog for about a month and have made many successful delicacies from it, including the *first* sesame noodles I’ve ever liked, etc etc. Your “Surprise Me” button has whiled away many an hour with me. Keep it up!

Crack is an UNDERSTATEMENT. I am licking my fingers after breaking up my pan and putting the two containers of it away.
My pan was a little small (I didn’t have an 11×17 w/ enough of an edge to keep all the goodness in the pan), so I ended up using about one sleeve of Saltines for mine – next time, I might break up two sleeves a little and use the same caramel & chocolate amounts (or just buy a new pan) — just wish there was a little more cracker in my Crack.

Just when I was resolved to only make yummy desserts when I needed them and not just ’cause’… turns out I need these! Whaddya know. They look fabulous – perhaps a new Easter tradition of chocolate caramel crackers is born!

Oh my Lord! Why did I have to come across this when I’m PMSing?? Are you trying to KILL me?! Making them as soon as I can gather the ingredients. Then hovering over them and growling if anyone comes near.

So I was invited to a party on Saturday, and I realised that if I want to eat (this is Iowa, after all), I’d need to bring something K for P of my own. I found your 17 ideas bookmarked post from last year and this was the one that stood out. I followed D.L.’s recipe, but I did do the toasted almonds *and* the sea salt, as you suggest. They’re *amazing*! I made them yesterday, divided into three baggies (two to take, one for me) and I’ve already consumed the whole baggie that I sat aside for myself. Fail. But at least Passover isn’t nearly so depressing this year.

Deb,
I’ve never written in your comments before, but I have been reading your blog for oh let’s say about a year now, and just wanted to let you know your blog is sort of like my secret cookbook. I have everyone in my life hooked on your blog, my aunt, my sister-in-law, my best friends, ect… This year we had our 4th annual second night seder in our apartment in brooklyn with 40 friends, and we made: caramelized shallots, your matzah ball soup, the sh*t cake, and 6 times the recipe for matzah crack (with pistachio, white chocolate, and himalayan sea salt varieties) Just wanted to let you know we’re out there, and that you’re doing great work. Oh, and feel free to come for seder with alex next year. :)

Yum…count me amongst those who grew up with the graham cracker version of these. We stirred pecan pieces in with the brown sugar and we called them praline cookies because they tasted so much like southern pralines but were so much easier (no candy thermometer required.) I’m ashamed to admit that adding chocolate never crossed my mind, I’ll have to remedy that.

Wow – what a salute to my recipe, Caramel Matzoh Buttercrunch.
And on top of it – you call me a genius for inventing it! Thank you so much. You did such a gorgeous job too of photo capturing the pure art of this delicious Passover convection I first made in the early 80’s, (thinking one day – there has to be something easy and tasty for Passover I can create), wrote about it first in the Montreal Gazette and Boston Globe and then it spread from there. The recipe ‘permanently’ appeared in my first cookbook, A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking which I am proud to say will be out again, in an entirely new 10th anniversary edition by Whitecap Books, Fall 2009. Caramel Matzoh Buttercrunch also appeared at the Smithsonian when it was presented as a recipe that became an urban legend. I am honored you featured it on SK and more so, that it has graced many a Passover sweet table. If I was so genius however, I would figure out the no-calories version. With affection, Marcy Goldman, Pastry Chef and Cookbook Author

I find doing dishes theraputic and I actually really like it! I’ll do your dishes anytime except that I am from California, go to school in Washington, and am studying abroad right now in Prague, Czech Republic! Sorry :)

I had some of this a while back and, of course, loved it and I can’t believe I never made it! Thanks for the recipe – I’m having a baby shower this week and I’ll serve these …if I can stand to part with them!

How great that Marcy Goldman came to comment and approve. I made this last night to, um, take to Easter dinner at a friend’s. Got to show well for my people. I decided, after putting a little piece in the freezer for an advance taste, that it really, really wants salt. Also, it’s fun to watch as the matzohs heave and bubble in the oven.

Did I ever tell you that I love your geniusness? If I have something in mind that I wanna make, I google search it and you come up EVERYTIME, and with pretty pictures and delightful quips! So you’re awesome and I love you (as a fellow blogger that is!). Thank you for being you!

This was a FABULOUS way to beat the “pesach blahs”. It was an especially welcomed treat considering my husband made it and I didn’t really have to lift a finger except to lick the salt/chocolate off afterwards. Thank you so much for sharing!

I love love love your blog. And the fact that you have this beautiful DIY chocolate cover matzo recipe…and I happen to have a craving for chocolate covered matzo and a box of (rediculously expensive) gluten free matzo…oh it’s a match made in heaven.

OMG, I am in awe that Marcy Goldman herself stopped in to comment. I think that is truly a testiment to the awesomeness of your blog. BTW, I made these for the first time last passover and they were a hit! Gorgeous photos, as always!

I think you may have linked to these on David Lebowitz’s page last year because I made them then – I love matzo anyway because I’m quite odd, but this is something really special. The only change I made was to use dark brown soft sugar instead of light brown – I did it last year because I had no light brown sugar in the house, but I really like the extra-dark treacliness of the dark sugar. I’ve just made another tray of them and it’s cooling downstairs now…

oh, thank you for posting this. my mom makes something similar, but she makes it with graham crackers and its just a pinch too sweet. i can’t wait to try the recipe with saltines. chocolate and salt?! shut up!!

I made these twice this weekend and they are truly crack! I knew when I saw the title of your post that I had to make them, as “crack” in food is a standing joke in my circle of friends. But we all agreed that this is the REAL crack! :)

deb i’ve read your site for close to a year now, and have made many of your recipes (next on my list is that yummy looking pear-chocolate torte–just got my first springform pan.) but never have i run to the store within 24 hours of a post just to by ingredients to make one of your posts. i did mine with macadamia nuts–amazing. my mom-in-law went crazy over it, as did my picky teenage kids, and i’m sure my coworkers will hate me for not making more. nice.

That’s me! I’ve never made them but I’m definitely going to now. And it looks like it would travel fantastically as a little goody bag for me to take on my plane ride toward the end of this week… if they last that long, that is.

I made these to bring to Easter lunch with my family, and from the look my mother gave me I’d say I’m in huge trouble for giving her a new addiction. I also made the mistake of telling her how easy they are to fix, so I’m a bit worried that soon she’ll be demanding a steady supply of her new crack…

Haaaaaa!!! I have been making these for years as a Pesach dessert — am laughing because my husband named them the exact same thing the first time I made them. I have made them (when it is not Pesach) with graham crackers or tea bisquits as a base and they are quite good as well! Wishing you a happy Passover, from Israel!

Matzoh Bark! I made this over the weekend and it was truly amazing. I impressed my friends and family, later admitting just how easy it was to make. I didn’t add nuts but would like to try it with finely chopped hazelnuts. A great treat to make for gifts, mostly because it is too tempting to have around the house….

And we have two boxes of matzo left over this year! (Mostly because Easter was so close to Passover. As a two-religion home, we celebrate both holidays–and so we couldn’t even get the brisket and matzo down before we had to turn to the ham.) Love the sea salt. Genius.

Thank the goddess that my husband manages a bike shop and that I can make goodies like these–and then send them to work with him instead of keeping it all to myself! I have also discovered something else potentially deadly with this recipe (I use saltines): when cutting the ‘crack’, I end up with lots of chunky crumbs and nuts that didn’t quite stick to the chocolate. Not wanting to throw them away, I add them to softened vanilla ice cream–my version of a Ben & Jerry’s ‘stir in’. Add some thick chocolate fudge and…..oh dear I get light headed just thinking about it!!!

Kimberly and Shev — It sounds like you are having caramel issues. Check the brown sugar that you are using, a tip I am pulling from David Lebovitz’s post: The grittiness and buttery separation comes when the brown sugar doesn’t dissolve (and it should, after all of those minutes boiling) and it might be the brand you are using. “You want a real brown cane sugar like C&H or Domino… To test your brown sugar, rub it between your fingers: if the brown coating rolls off, it’s likely beet sugar sprayed with a syrupy coating and that may be your problem.”

Kimberly — You may also be having altitude issues. I know that in a lot of baking, adaptations need to be made to recipes at high altitudes, however, I live at sea level and haven’t had any need to test tips out.

Made these last night, and yes, they really are as amazing as you say they are. The baked on caramel is out of this world. I put quite a bit of salt in the caramel (and sprinkled more sea salt on top) and I think it could have taken even more. Fantastic!

I love love love these. Very addicting. I remember the first time that I had them… a friend made them for a Christmas party that was at my house – and left all the leftovers! I didn’t want to throw them out, and I didn’t want to eat them too quickly, so I put them in a plastic container in the freezer… little did I know that this would not slow me down! Instead I discovered that I really love eating these frozen – extra crunch!

WOW! Made these for my dear friend who is preggers with twins and stuck at home on bedrest – she near about DIED from the delicious-ness! She didn’t have peanuts, so I chopped some walnuts on top…SUPER yummy!!! THANKS!! I’m hoarding my own stash in the freezer, hidden under a bag of edamame (which my roommate hates) so there’s no risk of him finding it and eating it ALL UP.

Consider your mission accomplished! I had heard of these (they sounded gross when described!) but never tried them until this inspired me. Thank you! My 4 and 2 year-old girls had a great time helping and we all enjoyed the results! Even without any nuts on top these were addictive.

Also, a tip to those that may try a short-cut that I did….I only used one sleeve of saltines, which left me about 3 crackers short of 40 and some small open spaces between a few rows of crackers. During baking, the caramel sort of “pushed” the crackers to the side so I have some pieces that are crackerless. Not a huge tragedy, just thought I’d report my results!

Hey there!! Love your blog!! I’ve included this recipe post in my top 15 recipes of the week on Twitter. WEll done, and I hope to see more of these fabulous recipes come swimming through the twitter stream soon.

I mistakenly bought the whole wheat matzo at Whole Foods as well, but there was no way that would stop me from making these, and they taste wonderful anyway. In fact the whole wheat matzo with just some butter spread on them taste good, too, and I usually don’t like whole wheat at all.

I’m so delighted to have found you (via Pioneer Woman) – what a pleasure. I’m determined that our new foray into homeschooling will consist largely of my children cooking and me eating…this, lots of this!

i made these for easter… could not have been easier! you are certainly right kitten… these are very addictive…. was on another site and found someone who made them with the big cheezit crakers…. i am going to try that next…. dont laugh…. you all remember mixing up your chedder cheese popcorn with the carmel corn… thats right, yes you do!!!!!!! will definately make this recipe again!!!!

Can you stand one more comment from me? I posted about these today on my blog, right after I finished off what was left of the THIRD batch. I don’t know whether or thank you or ban myself from EVER reading your blog again…of course, I could never do that, because how else would my back fat continue to grow?! Thanks a million calories over! xo, Nan

Just made this last night with reduced-price Matzos. I used dark brown sugar so it has the burny flavour. I only used 1 matzo and quarter of the recipe, so next time I might try the light brown sugar or white sugar and see what happens, but whatever, it’s yum!

These are insanely good! So good I will not make them again until I have a party (otherwise I could eat the whole batch myself) I made them this weekend and have passed the recipe on to three people so far. How have gone through my life so far without ever having these? they will be my new go-to party recipe.

My 14-year old son made these. Oh, wow! Maybe we could consider it a “health class experiment” to explore the process of adiction. :) We were just about fighting over the last few pieces. The only problem was that the edges were a little burnt, so half of our family didn’t want to eat them, which happily left more for the rest of us! I think next time we’ll just bake it a couple of minutes less. We used saltines, and who knew saltines could be so sublime???

The recipe I have for this is made with Keebler club crackers. I’ve made it with saltines…never with matzoh or graham, but prefer the club crackers. They really absorb the butter/sugar mixture and form a very homogeneous brittle on the bottom. You really can’t tell there’s a cracker in there. They are also a very nice compact size and make it easy to fit them into the pan.

I just finished making these for my tween girls! They loved them! Everything turned out perfectly, no burning ( I turned the oven off after 12 min and let them sit in there for another 2 min) and I used mini choc chips that I had on hand. I have a cold so can’t taste them right now but they look fantastic!!! I used the Matzoh! Thanks for the recipe!

Three words: Yum, yum, yum. I know my oven has a tendency to burn, so I lowered the temperature to 325… and I almost couldn’t wait for them to cool properly before digging in. They remind me of the Heath Bars I loved in the States — perfectly buttery, toffee-y, chocolatey, and crunchy. Because it begs to be said again, YUM.

This is one of my go-to recipes when I have to bring a casual dessert. I’ve been making it for a few years and people love it. Down here in Atlanta, its one of those recipes that has been passed down for generations. It is YUMMY and so easy!

This was amazing…made it with triscuits, leftover matzah, and Wasa Multigrain crackers to see what I liked best. I made two batches for an office party and when I ran out of chocolate chips I crumbed up some remaining chocolate covered macademian nuts (= the bomb).

Am taking all of into the office tomorrow morning so I don’t devour it here at home. Thanks for sharing this – it was easy to do and tastes like you spent significantly more time on it than you did!

deb. i have been an avid reader for what seems like ever. you always rescue me in the birthday cake department, and even convinced me to try liking cauliflower. which i now do.

but this… THIS is currently setting in the fridge, and in the past 30 minutes i have eaten no less than five pieces of not-even-set-yet crack. this is actual crack. it brings you soaring to heights you never knew existed, and then leaves you crawling to the fridge after the crash.

i thought it was just innocent crackers and chocolate. but this is not just crackers.

Made this twice and both times it was delicious. However, the second time I made some changes that I would NOT make again. I wanted more caramel and a little less chocolate, so I made more caramel, using 1 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 1/4 cup butter. The caramel itself was good, but too much of it accumulated on the bottom, sticking to the parchment paper and making the crackers chewier than I wanted. Also, I didn’t carefully seal the package of matzos, and they were kind of stale for the second batch. The staleness was only noticeable when eating the crack at room temp; it was fine cold. In the future I will use even more salt. These were a big hit with my family and friends both times, even the second time.

Oh my goodness! So, I guess I was one of the few on the planet who had not had this. I had been craving a chocolate toffee cookie crunch bar that I used to have a recipe for. Found this. So much easier, and so much better. Absolutely amazing. My hubby is allergic to nuts, and I’m kicking myself for not making two batches, so I could have some with nuts! Just an excuse to make this again. Thanks so much!

Try making these with chopped pretzel pieces instead of almonds for those with nut allergies. We also made them with salty chopped peanuts (even better than almonds, IMO), dried cherries & apricots bits, toasted coconut flakes, dried banana slices broken up along with chopped up smaller pieces of mini-marshmallows. Yum!

I’ve had this recipe saved ever since it was posted, but just have never got around to making it. This morning for some reason I was looking through a folder of my granny’s recipes that we had copied from her computer after she died a few years ago. One of the recipes was titled “Warm Welcomes”. Odd name and I couldn’t recall seeing it before. When I opened it up I had to laugh because it was the Crack recipe! I can’t say that I ever remember her making this, nor do I have any idea where that title came from. Now I’m thinking maybe this is a sign from the heavens that I must make this, like, now. :o)

My college roommate’s grandmother made a batch of this for us before we when on spring break about 5 years ago. I couldn’t believe how delicious it was. I’m glad to have come across this recipe and especially pleased to have just read that Sarah uses graham crackers, how tasty I’ll definitely give that variation a try!

This recipe is insanely good, and insanely easy as well. I’ve tried it with saltines and graham crackers and definitely prefer the saltines–the grahams are just a little too sweet with the toffee where the blandness of the saltimes is perfect and the extra salt makes it really special. Now I have some leftover matzo crackers (leftover from Matzo Ball Soup–yum!) and can’t wait to try the recipe a third way.

I have a batch of these cooling in the refrigerator right now. Since I don’t have a stove-top or an oven…..I have to improvise. I made the caramel in the microwave (hope it worked), I had to halve the recipe so it would fit on the cookie sheet that goes into my toaster over, and…well, I had to cook it in a toaster oven. I’m hopeful, it looks really nice cooling on the tiny cookie sheet.

I made this successfully vegan for a holiday party by substituting margarine for the butter. The caramel took a little longer to cook and seemed looser in the oven than when i’ve made it with butter so I gave it an extra couple of minutes. It set up just fine and tasted great.
The more you know…

I was just at a party where I had 8 huge pieces of this stuff-it was absolutely delicious and I had never had anything like it. It was bought from a fancy bakery in my town so now I am so happy I can make it myself!!!!
Thanks!

I just made these for the first time and WOW. I have had these at parties before but this recipe is by far the best! My grocery store didn’t have matzo (can you believe that?) so I had to use saltines but they were still so good! Usually I make sweets and then give them away instantly so I don’t become a Fatty McFatterson but I don’t even want to give these away! Thanks!

Made this for the first time and it was delicious. We made a few batches and Put marshmallows in with the chocolate chips and swirled them around together for total deliciousness! How do I keep the margarine from separating. The end product was fine but I can not get the margarine and brown sugar to come together. I had to pour off the extra oil after baking. Is this normal?

Thank you for this recipe! I am now calling the modified version I made Christmas Crack. I used magic flake crackers, purchased from the Vietnamese grocery store, which are sort of a cross between club crackers and saltines. For the topping, 60% cocoa chocolate chips, and crushed candy cane. They came out perfect (and way better than the version someone served at a party last night).

I made these from Marcy Goldman’s recipe. Now I think its the only reason I get invited to the party!!LOL!! They are very addictive especially if you add some extra choc. chips on top to make the chocolate layer thicker. When I can find them I like using the organic coffee flavored chips. I then add toasted, coarsely chopped pecans and press into the thick melted chocolate. I will then use a metal salad fork and perforate the whole pan into squares about 2-1/2″ while it is still warm, sorta like what you are supposed to do with shortbread cookies. Once it cools its easy to lift up the foil and get the “Crack” off the pan. I have also drizzled white choc from a plastic bag over the top for decoration.

Hi Deb,
Congratulations on your amazing food blog… since i bumped into it im absolutly addicted! Thumbs up on evertyhing.. the recipes, the pictures and your stories….
I had a question about the Crack crackers…. I tried this recipe, the flavor was amazing.. but the chocolate never dried… so it was stick! Very stick…. is there a trick im missing.. please Help! I see in your picture you stacked them up…. with this stickiness i wouldnt be able to do that…. Let me know what you think.
Again congrats!
Jennifer

Jennifer — Yes, it is sticky. The only way to get chocolate to cool without being tacky is to temper it. Which is a complicated process of raising then lowering then raising again slightly the temperature of melted chocolate so that when it cools completely, it is like chocolate pieces that you can buy. (You can Google about for the exact directions.) It’s a tricky process, which is why I didn’t bring it up for something so simple as this. But once you get tempering down, you can really dip anything into chocolate and it will have the shiny/hard look of good chocolate shop chocolates.

I made these with the five million pounds of leftover matzah I have every year – soooo amazing. (did this a while ago but just leaving the comment now since I just remembered) I love your blog and especially your pictures – they are amazing. I just got a nice camera and I’m trying my hand at documenting my cooking adventures as well! next up – the monkey bread!

I’m from Germany, so this recipe has passed me by for a significant part of my life, but when I recently found your blog these crackers were like “BAM! Make me!” I brought a batch to school and all of it was gone within minutes… Though they are quite delicious, I found them a bit heavy and buttery. Do you think it would also work with caramel from water and sugar, with maybe a little bit butter? That might alo be helpful for the kosher folks, since it’d be parve then… If I haved any success with my experiments I’ll post again :)

Me again :D
I tried using the same volume of water instead of butter and cooked the syrup until it seemed thick enough, about 10 mins on low heat, I think.
With this method, I’d rather use white sugar so you can see how it darkens, I was constantly afraid of burning it. Then I put it into the oven for another ten minutes because the caramel didn’t harden; but 15 might be better because the middle is still a little soggy.

Wow! Made these yesterday for Sedar. I’ve never been a fan of store bought chocolate covered matzah, but these are just amazing. I didn’t have any sea salt, but kosher salt worked well. These have a permanent place at my Sedar table. Thanks for another awesome recipe.

I brought these treats to two seders this year (one batch made with butter and the another batch with margarine). Both nights, these were obliterated while the ten other desserts full of matzah meal sat untouched. Thanks for getting me seder invites for years to come!

Bless you, bless you, bless you. I have been wondering about these for a while and I rejoice to find this fantastically easy recipe in your archives! Of course, with all the incredibly simple ingredients I could make this just about any time I want with what’s on hand and that will be DANGEROUS! But, I can pretend to trick myself and my husband into having these around because I can say “the kids like it” or “it’s something the kids can make with me since it’s so simple”. In truth, though, it’s just ‘cus it’s unbelievably delicious. Crack indeed!

I made 2 batches of these for Passover this year. I made the first batch with salted margarine (I omitted the additional salt) because I wanted it to be Parve (non-dairy), and I made the second batch with butter (and just cuz I had a craving for more). For anyone who is curious, both batches were awesome and highly addictive (obviously!). While the butter batch looked and tasted like a Skor bar, the caramel from the margarine batch had a thinner consistency and was slightly less sweet. But again, both rocked and earned me rave reviews! :)

Oh, these are SO good. I made these for Passover this year, and they were gone too fast. This is the PERFECT treat for the time when you cannot eat “some good stuff”. I love it at Passover, and I will love it anytime. I take it as a divine inspiration that the one lady thought to apply this to matzo.

I’ve made these several times and after the first couple of times came to the realization I cannot make these unless I’m taking them somewhere for others to share as I will eat them until I’m ready to explode. Crack is right!

Took them to work for a bake sale last week, too. They are gaining a reputation far and wide for being highly addictive! LOL

I made these as a treat for my boyfriend who was helping to install my air conditioner and curtain rods in my apartment. I ran to my car to get something; when I came back he was standing over the sink and trying to eat tray of crackers whole.

Heroine Bark is what we call this stuff! I’ve made these for the last few years using graham crackers and foil only (not buttered, just plain). But HELP?! Sometimes they’re crackly, sometimes they’re chewy and, damnit, I always want ’em crackly! I’m using fresh crackers, I’m boiling the caramel, I’m baking ’em until they’re dark. What in the name of Marcy Goldman am i doing wrong? Is it truly a humidity thing? I live in California but do live at the beach — is location, location, location turning my Heroine Bark into Heroine Chew? Thanks, Deb!

I made these last night with 4 matzo sheets and extra chocolate. OMG they are to-die-for! My hubby and everyone at my office loves them, they are seriously like crack. I wanted more even after I felt sick from eating too much! I will be making these for christmas, thanks so much for the recipe!

Oh my God these are amazing. I made a “test” batch yesterday because I’m planning on giving it as a Christmas present. Amazing. I got tired of calling it Chocolate Caramel Crack….ers, and started calling it Christmas Crack which caught on way faster than I expected.

I just made these for a holiday party tomorrow. I used Kavli brand whole grain crisp bread, Guittard’s Akoma chocolate chips, and substituted hazelnuts for the almonds. Delicious! You’re right…they definitely won’t last a week and now I’m wondering if they’ll even last until tomorrow! :)

I made these with toffee chips rather than chocolate (I realize this defeats the purpose for some people!). They were fabulous! I had to put them in the car overnight to make sure they lasted long enough to make it to the holiday party at work.

Deb, I just finished making my third double batch of these in about two weeks. I haven’t baked Holiday treats in about 3 years. I made these because I just loved saying the name. My husband just helped me make this last bunch to give out to his employees. We like these best with saltines. Love that salty-sweet combo.

Beautiful :)
I made some today, they didn’t turn out quite right though- I didn’t read the directions all the way through. I put the chocolate on before the oven, so the caramel and chocolate got all mixed together and a bit grainy, but it was all still delicious :)

These are so good! I haven’t made them for a while, but made a large batch last night to take into work. I decided to adulterate a small corner with my latest obsession. If you want something mind-blowingly, eye-poppingly, palate-tinglingly good, try sprinkling on some fine lime zest (microplaned) and flaked dried chilli just after you’ve spread the chocolate. It was so good, I had to put one tray back in the oven this morning to melt the chocolate enough to cover the whole tray with this newly discovered codicil. The only question is, will my colleagues be brave enough to try them?

Hi Deb,
I made these for an anti Gov. Walker party (he’s ruining the state of Wisconsin!) and they were delicious. I do have one question though – you said you tempered the chocolate to make it less sticky. Did you temper it and drip it on the caramel? From the photo it looks like you just dropped chocolate chips on and spread them when they melted. There’s not a way to temper the chocolate after it’s been dropped, right?

HI there,
I tried sticking some rice crackers (lightly salted) on the tray too, just out of curiosity, and they were awfully good. Might require you to make a new batch to try em. Monster crunch.
Thanks for your delightful, amazing website. The pics are exquisite too.

An etiquette question from a non-Jew invited to a Seder at a childhood friend of his partner’s: would this be a nice hostess type gift to bring along? I know that matzoh is a part of the ritual and I don’t want to do anything too embarrassing. They’re a pretty liberal, not strictly observant group. Thanks!

I think it would be perfect, with one caveat: you might check whether, just for Passover, they keep to the kosher separation of meat and milk (surprisingly non-observant Jews may hold to this remnant), and if they do, make it with margarine.

Mine’s in the fridge chilling right now! I put chopped salted peanuts and coconut on half, chopped almonds and sea salt on the other half, and a tiny sprinkle of cayenne on one matzoh-panel of these latter.

To add to haruspex’s comment, you may want to note that it was not made in a kosher for passover kitchen (if you’re not keeping kosher now or any other time of the year). I made the recipe last night – 2 batches for work and for Seder later. Thank you Deb!

I made these last night and let it sit for 5 minutes after baking (while I was distracted but that’s neither here nor there), and then I remembered the chocolate chips. They didn’t start to melt right away, so I put it back in the oven for 2 minutes with the chips and let them warm in there, then took it out and spread the chocolate. To my surprise, I found it was a lot less messy than when I’ve made it in the past and did the chocolate right after baking. Just FYI

Yup, crack. I made these as soon as matzos graced the Seattle supermarket shelves this year! I brought them out for a birthday gathering and they were devoured. Topped them with sliced almonds and a sprinkle of kosher salt.

I made these for first night Sedar. I mixed about 1/3 dark chocolate with the semi-sweet, and used toasted pecans and a hit of sea salt. What a hit! I was pretty much the favorite at the table. Thanks for the recipe!

Goodbye, Passover calorie deficit! I normally replace parchment paper (which I never have) with waxed paper, but the wax melts and bonds with the caramel, so I just go with the foil lining (good call!) and it always works perfectly. Thanks for this awesome recipe!

Yes, this post did inspire me to make this! (and Marcy’s book has been on my shelf for years.)
Couldn’t find Passover chocolate chips–only bars so I carefully melted the chocolate in the microwave stiring it frequently and then let it cool while the matzoh was in the oven. After letting the pan rest for five minutes after baking so that the caramel would firm up, I dropped dollops of chocolate all over and spread with a spatula. It worked beautifully and the chocolate set up nicely after a stint in the freezer.

While hunting for passover sweets for my husband I stumbled onto this with the matzo…. and it caused a big stumble in my diet!!! So good and has now been filed in the “keeper” section of the recipes. (I didn’t have parchment paper and buttered the foil and it peeled right off.) Thanks. LOVE your site!

Hag Sameach! I have been reading your blog for a year now (& have reached levels of excessive OCD during final exam times when I enjoy pushing the “surprise me” and day dreaming about a life after law school when I can make all of your fantastic treats). I thought it was high time to leave a comment since your matzah crack recipe has become a family favorite of ours for as much as its taste as its name (we’re a very mature group, you see). Thanks for this fabulous recipe, pictures, and much appreciated study snack!

My husband loved these and so did I. Crack is a very appropriate name for them:) And I like others am gonna make them with Graham crackers. I think I will add marshmallows to the top along with the chocolate. Mmmmmm caramel s’more yummy goodness

I have made these for about 15 years to give our neighbors at Christmas — the number of recipients has grown as word has gotten out about how wonderful they are! I only make them when the weather is cold because I have to put the cookie sheets out on our screened porch to cool — there is never room in the fridge for those big sheets. Several neighbors have told me they look forward to getting this every year, AND that they hide it from their kids!

Made these again for the office to rave reviews and curses that I’m not being a good influence. (Ha!) I’ve been using gluten free rice crackers with sesame as a base which means everyone in the office can eat them. Because of the small cracker size, the pieces actually break apart in reasonable sizes. A tip for people who don’t have an offset spatula, a Chinese soup spoon works really well.

Deb, I suppose this is a compliment but when I offered to make your most recent apple challah bread recipe, people actually said they preferred these treats since they could get a semi-decent challah anywhere! These, not so much.

So Deb, made these last week and would you believe I only had the Yehuda Whole Wheat matzo on hand? I had it leftover from a lasagna I made (which I highly recommend – matzo lasagna). Anyway, though I understand not wanting to ruin your chocolate toffee experience with whole wheat, I don’t think it’s possible. The chocolate, toffee, and salt are just too darn good. I was too eager to make this and decided just to go for it. The 8×8 sheet was gone in less than 24 hours. Safe to say, it was still a success.

I come here to do a search for salted caramel and I stumble across my favorite Holiday time creation! My family/friends/coworkers/whoever stumbles across it calls it “Christmas Crack”. I make it with Saltines and I’m lucky if it makes it out of the house to give as gifts. Whenever you tell someone that the base is Saltines they look at you like you’ve got four heads…then they try it and the world is never the same. hahaha And since I only make it at Christmastime in New England and I never have enough freezer space to cool it off as quick as I’d like I use the wonderfully(<–sarcasm) snowy great outdoors instead. I throw a trivet on the deck, toss some wax paper or foil on top of the cooked goodness and out goes the Crack until it can become well…cracked lol

I gave the recipe to a coworker and she now makes it with white chocolate and almonds instead of simply chocolate chips.

OMGosh! Do these look devine. I was looking for a recipie for stale crackers (just because I have some and I’m curious). I came across this and I’m heading for the kitchen. I’ll let you know when I come up for air! :o)

I could have made these by now if I hadnt sat here reading all these posts. This thread looks like it could go for years.
I have the @eatyourbooks girls to thank for connecting me with this fabulous blog.
I am thinking of adapting this for an Australian Xmas treat (Macadamias,Murray River Salt) thing about that is what’s with the humidity warning? Australian Xmas = Humid. Cheers!

Okay, I know that 300 or so other people have probably already said this, but I love these so much. I made a gluten-free batch and a matzo batch at Christmas last year to give to friends, and then my mom made some more to give to *her* friends, and then I just made my first batch of the year in the common room with Saltines last night. So delicious, and so so easy. There will be more to come. I know what all of my friends are getting this year.

This will be my new “English Toffee” replacement after several (what’s a number higher than several) failed attempts. The last being when the butter and sugar separated after it reached the perfect stage and no amount of stirring salvaged it. I threw the whole thing into the toilet. BIG MISTAKE. I was on my knees with my elbows in the bowels of the toilet trying to remove hardened toffee (yes finally a success but I don’t think it would look good in the recipe: “place mixture in toilet”) with my bare hands. And that is just one failed attempt – they get better!
Long and short – this is my new take on toffee – you have redeemed my faith in having ONE thing I can assemble for Christmas – EASY! Also, I used Wilbur Buds semisweet chocolate and lots of them so my chocolate layer was THICK (available on line). THANK YOU!!!

Dear Deb,
my sister and I have been absolutely obsessed with this stuff. We have been using pretzels instead of saltines because of personal preference and we LOVE it. But, both times we’ve made it the toffee has been pretty grainy. The second time, we tried boiling the sugar/butter a little longer, but it still turned out kind of grainy. DO you have any tips for getting the toffee smooth?
Thanks so much!
-Anna

I just made these because I’m trying to use up our extra matzah from last Passover before we hit the next round. I actually made them with whole wheat matzah (because that was what we had) before seeing your note saying not to, and actually, they are quite good. The Aviv organic whole wheat matzah is quite yummy (as opposed to the Streit’s cardboard). These are delicious! Thank you for the recipe.

i’ve always come out with a very vaguely burnt-tasting toffee, and i don’t know whether it happens while boiling the caramel or baking the crackers, but i’m going to try a quickened, shorter boil with a few drops of water and a longer lower baking temp this go ’round just to see if it helps. i’m one of those weirdos who doesn’t need much chocolate, so i think i’ll also melt my chocolate before hand and drizzle it out of a ziploc. LOVE the recipe, though, there’s never more than crumb of evidence after 2 or 3 days.

I just want to say I have made this a couple of times, and I have become completely addicted! Thinking about making this again today even! :) I make mine gluten free and dairy free even and it turns out great! I also just put mine directly on the baking sheet and it turns out great! Thanks for such a yummy recipe!

Wow my family have just gone mad over this. I made it to take to my Mum’s tomorrow night but I don’t think it will make it there. Can’t say I wasn’t warned though! The saltiness really adds something amazing to the matzo. In grams I used 160g sugar, 250g chocolate chips, 100g nuts, 230g butter.

Hi Deb,
Happy Passover!! I tried these last year and now today. The caramel both times comes out grainy. It’s brown sugar grains and butter and not caramel. What am I doing wrong? Please let me know so I can try again next year.
Thanks,
Anna

Just made these last night. I too had a slight issue with the texture. Also, while nearly all the caramel hardened, there was a patch where a good amount had leaked under the matzo and for some reason, stayed rather soft. I noticed that my butter and sugar wanted to separate like some have mentioned before. In any case, just took my first real bite a few minutes ago. I don’t see these lasting past tomorrow night. They were totally crack. I figure I’ll make some for my friends, but this batch is mine :D

Once again I’m sending people to your website for this recipe, Deb! Made them for a picnic at church this morning, then passed them around before they started melting. Ate my own fair share, I might add. My son insists they are better without chocolate, and he may be right! Made a batch that way too.

So I just put this in the oven. I don’t think it’s going to come out right though. The butter/sugar mix never thickened up. I tried adding a bit more sugar and cooking it a bit longer, but no luck. So I gave up and poured the liquidy mess on the crackers and watched them all float to the top. The mixture smelled like pancake syrup. I hope they taste good even though it didn’t work right. I hate wasting money. Any tips on what I did wrong would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi Deb – a question as I get ready for passover. I am going to a seder where I cannot bring anything made with dairy. Do you have any thoughts about the best butter substitute for this recipe? It pains me to ask….

I haven’t made it with margarine but if you do a quick word search for it in the comments, many many people tried it and found it fine enough. I’d be more curious to try it with virgin coconut oil; it would change the profile but be a nicer fat, lighter on the tongue. Could work nicely here.

Shalom from Israel! OMG your site is going to save me next week when I am in charge of bringing the dessert to the Seder. I have been in Israel for 17 years and never once taken a bite of a Passover dessert that I can stomach. All of those on your list sound DIVINE! THank you! And now I’ll get to my question ;-) … Here in Israel, there is only dark brown sugar. Do you think it would work as well?

OMG, crack is right. Ate a bunch of it, had a sugar high, passed out, woke up, ate more. Wow. Topped mine with fleur de sel, tomorrow’s batch will be toasted hazelnuts, also thinking of some candied orange peel… You can put anything on them I think. So easy… Wow again. Thanks!!

OMG is right! I just whipped up a batch of these for seder tomorrow night and I’m wondering if there will be any left. Thanks for the delicious and easy recipe. This will be my new Passover tradition. I can’t wait to try it out with saltines. I too topped mine with fleur de sel and think it would be delicious with pistachios and dried cranberries. Off to hide the rest of the batch!

FYI – I tried making with coconut oil instead of butter or margarine to keep it non-dairy and kosher for passover, but sadly either I did something wrong or coconut oil just does not make good caramel. If anyone else has success with this method I’d love to hear about it because I wonder if I just did something wrong.

when I started making caramel sauce parve I discovered that the coconut oil doesn’t mix with the sugar. it just sits on top of it while the sugar caramelizes and burns. I’ve had success making caramel using coconut cream but I can’t tell just from looking at the recipe what ratio of coconut cream to sugar to use here. will have to experiment.

I made these with matzoh crackers tonight and they were just as awesome as everyone claims. As salted matzoh is apparently hard to come by, I added sea salt and found that this is an absolute MUST if you don’t have salty crackers. The chocolate and caramel is so sweet…the sea salt provides a perfect contrast and takes these to the next level.

Deb,
My caramel never works. This is my third Passover year trying this recipe and this year I tried it twice. I’ve switched brands of brows sugar because I read in the comments that this may be the cause and I follow your instructions completely. The caramel is always grainy. Any thoughts on this? Also I used Trader Joe’s chocolate chips and they never completely solidified back to normal if that makes any sense. Please help. I would not let my husband buy Whole Foods chocolate covered matzo because I said I was going to make him something much better and I totally did not.

Oops, just read Mirandaswriting comment. Mirandaswriting thank you for your comment. I have an IKEA pot which was probably under $10. Is that not metal? I have no idea. If not, what is a metal pot or more like which brand do you use?

Hi Deb – first time writing to you. I made the crack tonight – tasted great (okay awesome), but the layers seemed to separate when I broke it into pieces. Is this the norm or am I doing something wrong? Also, I love your blog!!

Lola, yes this freezes very well (if you don’t eat it first). Another addition – chop up candied orange peel – add it after you have smoothed out the melted chocolate.I use the recipe from the Settlement cookbook.

Made this for Passover first time. If anyone struggled with the butterscotch/caramel in the recipe there is an alternative. I purchased a jar of caramel sauce instead of making the butterscotch, since in my experience the butterscotch can come out grainy. I also changed the method ever so slightly. First I put my plain matzos in the oven to crisp up in case they had gotten stale. 5 minutes or so. Then I lightly brushed on some melted butter flavored with a little salt and sugar. I put that back in the oven for a few more minutes. (I did this for flavor and because my purchased caramel sauce has much less butter in it than the butterscotch in the recipe) After a few minutes in the oven I brought the whole thing out and spread the caramel sauce onto each matzo near but not over the edge. I baked the matzo for 15 minutes and followed the rest of the recipe as written. My caramel sauce achieved a crispy candy like consistency as it cooled and the matzo crack was much easier to handle and didn’t stick to the silpat. Almonds and maldon salt to top. Next time, if I have time, I will make homemade caramel instead of buying a jar. Glad I tried this dessert idea:) thanks!

If you make these with saltines, would you put the salt side down when lining the parchment paper? Does it really matter? I’d assume they would taste the same either way but I’m not sure so I thought I’d ask!

Hello Deb!
I’ve made this recipe several times to great success.
Currently the kitchen I have access to has a tiny oven and only 10 inch round tart pans. I’m thinking of halving the recipe to adjust the proportions for the tart pan.
Is there any reason using a round pan would mess up the recipe?

Teresa — No, I don’t think it would be a problem, but if the tart pan has a removable bottom, definitely have it on a foil-lined tray. Of course, if you have a tray, you would just be able to make it there instead. I think for a 10-inch round you’d need barely 1/3 the full recipe.

I made two batches of this – I burned the first one a little in the oven, and I pulled the second batch before it could start bubbling and burning at the edges. The burned ones were actually a huge hit! People loved the smell and taste of the caramelized sugar underneath the chocolate.
Thanks for the recipe! It’s quick and easy, and great for large groups.

Hi Deb – I know you are not one to judge, so here is my oddball question. Would these be considered ‘kosher’? To come clean, my family is Catholic but my daughter works somewhere that is predominantly Jewish and would like to bring something to the office and make a nice impression. Actually two oddball questions…what Jewish Holiday (Holy Day? – sorry) would be a good time to bring something in? Greatly appreciate a response. We adore your website and can’t wait for baby #2. Truth be told, rooting for a girl.

Patty — Happy to help. Kosher comes in two layers, as I see it. The first is in the ingredients — obviously, bacon is out. :) No ingredients here aren’t kosher, so yes, it’s “kosher.” The second layer is the meal it’s served in. You’re not supposed to have dairy and meat together. This has butter in it, so someone wouldn’t have it with a meal where they’d eaten meat or for X (different people practice this amount differently) hours after. Since these are made with matzo, they’re ideal for Passover, which is coming up, where Jewish people aren’t supposed to have bread products but matzo is okay. That said, nobody turns it down any other time of year. Hope that helps.

hi deb, these look awesome. being that i am religious and want to serve these at a meaty meal, could i substitute oil instead of the butter? would they still taste good? (also not using margarine…)thanks

I just made a batch of these babies AGAIN for this Passover. I’ll be mailing some to my daughter who’s away at college. These are absolutely adored by all who taste them, Jews and Gentiles alike. Totally easy to throw together and they travel by mail perfectly. Thanks again for this awesome recipe, Deb! Passover just wouldn’t be the same without them! Feeling deprived at Passover? Nah!

Hi Deb! I’m in need of your expert guidance! I made a batch of this on Monday with no problem (the sample piece was delicious), but for the life of me I can’t get the sugar and butter to properly form when I’ve tried to make the second batch. I’ve now tried it FOUP separate times (FYI I’m using the same utensils and brand of sugar from Monday) and each time the butter melts but separates from the sugar and I end up with a watery and yet slightly burnt mess (which is impressive). If I know my guests and family, one pan will simply not be enough on Friday night. Thanks for the this wonderful site and all your wise insight.

I’ve had it separate from time to time on the stove and while it’s frustrating, I don’t remembering it having any grand detrimental final crack(ers), mostly because they’ll then bake together for a bit. I hope that helps. Don’t let it frustrate you (advice I never listen to when it’s my own cooking frustration, to be honest).

I’ve been making this for several years, but with a slightly different technique that doesn’t require watching like a hawk to guard against burning.
Ingredients are all the same, and so is the matzo layout, but preheat your oven to 450. Combine the brown sugar/butter/vanilla/sea salt and pour over the matzo. Put it in the oven for 2 (two) minutes. Remove from oven and Turn Oven Off. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over and return to hot, but turned-off, oven for another two minutes. The chocolate should now be soft enough to spread; sprinkle with nuts if you’re using them, and then freeze for at least an hour. Overnight is better. I don’t use parchment paper, just heavy aluminum foil.
Using this technique, I’ve never had a problem with scorched caramel, burnt chocolate, or removing the foil at the end.
Credit where credit is due: this came from a Passover cookbook published by a consortium of UJA-Federation chapters in Connecticut.

This is my 6th year in a row making this recipe, I’m on my 11th batch! Everyone from my barre instructors to my colleagues to my in-laws gets a batch!
Thanks for this wonderful tradition, Deb! Happy Pesach!

Great idea for Passover! Never thought of making this with matzoh! This is also great made with pretzels (not at Passover of course!). I used the little stick pretzels and lined them up in the pan. It was even better than crack made with saltines!

I just made these and I’m sorry but they are too sweet. I’ve scrolled through the comments to see if anyone else felt this way. I find them interesting and would like to make them again- can anyone recommend an adjustment? Could I use a little less brown sugar next time? Would it still work? Thanks in advance.

@Skye: I added a good amount of kosher salt between the matzah and toffee and also used dark chocolate and found that cut the sweetness pretty well.

I made a batch of this yesterday for my friend’s Easter party (rather selfishly so that I’d have something to eat there). I tried a small piece and was pretty happy with it. When I woke up this morning, half of it was gone! My housemates confessed to trying “just a small piece” and then losing all self-control. I guess I’ll have to make another batch today for the party- thanks so much for this fantastic recipe!

I love that you get new comments on this every year! I am writing to report on my experiments with making a dairy-free version. Spoiler alert: Success in the end.

I have learned that you cannot just replace butter with coconut oil and do it the same way. The coconut oil melts first, floats to the top, and somehow keeps the brown sugar from melting. I had to pour it off, ended up with clumpy (but delicious) and very hard caramel in the end.
Instead: melt the brown sugar first. When it’s melted, turn off the heat and pour a tablespoon or 2 of coconut oil on it. Then use your wooden spoon and basically knead the coconut oil into the mass. You can add the salt and vanilla part way through, and add more coconut oil if you want. (I have no idea how much I ended up using–I would estimate 3T per batch.) When it looks smooth, pour it on the matzah. You can’t really spread it, and it ends up harder than the butter-made stuff, so keep the layer on the thin side. Then follow Deb’s directions.

I made 3 types: gluten & dairy free with nuts, gluten & dairy free without nuts, and dairy-free spelt with nuts. Those in my office with these restrictions went crazy for it, but so did everyone else! Some said they would never have known it was dairy free.

Quickly becoming a favourite here. Made some for a fundraiser and we sold out quickly and the request has come in to make more for the next fundraiser – so I’m officially cooking crack to help raise funds for the 12 year old girls’ soccer comp, which gives me a bit of a Walter W. vibe to be sure.

I used to make this years ago when my daughter was young – esp when we took long trips – great car snack… I would make mine with the butter and brown sugar and put coconut on while still wet.. never thought of the chocolate
So going to make this tonight….
thanks for such a great site – very creative and the detail of each recipe with all those photos – just grand!! keep up the great work!!
Anne

Oh my goodness. I know I’m 6 years since this was published, but my hat, I have just made this, and it is awesome. I’ve eaten a 1/4 of the tray already, and it has to survive another 3 days in my kitchen. This is bad. Very bad.

I just found your recipe for this and will try it. However, last March, we celebrated Passover with our son, his wife, and their friends in Lesotho (small kingdom surrounded by South Africa.) I emailed back to the US for a similar recipe, used the chocolate, brown sugar and matzo that you could find in Lesotho—-and they are not like the US equivalents—and made a reasonable proxsimile. As you can imagine, it was a big hit.

I saw it and had to make it for a dinner party tonight. I couldn’t wait for it to cool down and had a cracker still warm (I used saltines). I think this is my new ‘crack’ (as in ‘irresistibly addictive’) recipe.

When I was a kid we made this with graham crackers and the nuts got stirred into the brown sugar mixture (no chocolate required), the recipe was titled “praline cookies” and you can imagine why. Then I grew up and moved to “the south” and ran into the salty saltine and chocolate version… not sure I can pick a favorite, they both have their charms. Guess I’m just saying this is a fun one to experiment with, the possibilities are all yummy.

I brought a small batch (scaled to one 8×8 pan) to a party this weekend. They had a nice toffee flavor and were well received — one person wanted to know how to make them. I forgot to put the crackers salt side down — made a note about that for the future. Also, I didn’t realize how long chocolate takes to cool. Outside of the fridge (admittedly probably at warm room temperature), it must be at least 2 hours. My fridge was pretty full, but eventually I made room for them so I could get to the party.

I made these to bring to a Halloween party, and they were INCREDIBLE! I even committed the faux pas of bringing some back home with me, instead of leaving them with the host like you’re supposed to do. I couldn’t help it, these were truly as addictive as she says. I ran out of light brown sugar for the last 1/4 cup, so I used dark brown to make up the difference and it didn’t affect things. My caramel looked a little lumpy coming out of the pot (maybe I needed to stir it more?) but spread easily enough. Don’t let the simplicity of the recipe fool you; these are SO GOOOOOD.

I’ve made this recipe over, and over, and OVER again! It’s a huge hit, but incredibly addictive. I constantly have people begging me to make it! I use a whole bag of chocolate chips (2 cups instead of 1.5 cups) because c’mon, no such thing as too much chocolate and easier to dump a whole bag than measure out 1.5 cups! :)

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen Buzzfeed type videos for this dessert (though perhaps not your exact recipe) in the last three months, and all I keep thinking is, “yeah? I’ve been making it for seven years already!”

I’ve used another recipe for the past two years, but trusting Deb’s would be better, I used hers this year. And Deb did not disappoint! These were the best ever, and they now are the only matzo crack recipe I will use. Everyone thought these were fabulous; I agree, alas, for my waistline… I used slightly less than a cup of brown sugar and “only” 1 cup of chocolate chips. Didn’t matter. Still terrific.

I just made these for the first time, and am kicking myself for not making it before! I subbed in a little dark molasses for some of the brown sugar, and used dark rather than light brown sugar…heavenly.

I make these every year for Passover and my family can’t get enough of them! Lessons I’ve learned: cool them in the freezer for easier breaking, break into small bite-sized pieces for irresistible snacking, DEFINITELY sprinkle with sea salt (and maybe some cayenne or cinnamon), and last but not least – make more than you think since they will disappear after the first seder.

Such an easy project. Made it last night in under half an hour. I only used foil (no parchment) and it did not stick. I used Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet. I maybe would use something sweeter? It’s quite dark. Also i crushed up pistachios and put them on top along with a sprinkle of espresso salt. Yum!!

I just made these last night with some friends for a Christmas party and this is such a good, resilient recipe. We accidentally made one batch with half the butter (1 stick instead of 2) and it turned out well! I actually may prefer that one since it seems a bit less greasy. We made two batches, one topped with walnuts and another topped with peppermint candy pieces. Loved it! Thanks so much Deb!

Wow! Fantastic, ridiculously easy and insanely addictive! I will definitely make again to take to Christmas parties. Now, I just need to put a padlock around it so I stop eating it! Thanks for a great recipe :)

I used to make this years ago, and your post convinced me to make it again this year (as if I needed convincing…) — and it was delicious, perfect for gifting, but I later found my old blog post about this and I would like to propose one small tweak, Deb, that I ask you to try:

Use 1.5x the caramel/toffee ingredients. Keep everything else the same.

I just made a double batch of these, and followed the recommendation to increase the caramel by 1.5- because more is more! My greed for toffee overcame me. Unfortunately, most of the extra caramel puddled under the matzoh and as soon as the temp started to rise, the mixture flowed off the baking sheet into the bottom of the oven. Within about 4 minutes of bake time, I had smoke billowing out of the oven, and a big mess to clean up.
They were warm enough so that I was able to spread the chocolate. I currently have them in the refrigeratior, and am hoping they crisp up enough to be at least edible.
I recommend fighting the gluttonous urge ,and sticking to the original measurements. And maybe lining the oven racks as well as the bake sheets in foil.
Happy Passover!

Thanks for this recipe! I’ve been making it for a few years now and everyone always loves it. This year I made it with wheat saltines (as opposed to the generic white ones) because it was what I had on hand and they were still fabulous.

Okay this might be the silliest question ever, but does it matter if which side up the saltines are? Do you want the salt on the bottom so it doesn’t dissolve in the caramel? Does it matter? Does anything matter?

I would like to save and/or print this recipe but I do not see any way to do either. If there is there and I missed it which is certainly possible, then it is not easy to find. I have looked several times. Perhaps you may want to consider changing the website making it easier for your readers like me. Thank you.

There is a print icon that leads to a print template at the bottom of each recipe, where it says “DO MORE:” You can also click CTRL + P from any recipe post and it will take you to a streamlined print template.

I only baked it for five minutes, and used double the chocolate, roughly — didn’t measure, just added chocolate chips until they about 3/4 covered the sheet. Then there was softer caramel and lots of chocolate and everything was great!

I made this for the first time today, and it’s going to take every ounce of willpower to take them to work tomorrow as intended. My only fear is that I’ll never be able to bake anything else again for my colleagues because they’ll be disappointed it isn’t this.
And if you have some way of measuring views or links to your recipes, don’t be surprised if there’s a sudden spike in this one thanks to an Australian podcast called Chats 10 Looks 3. Someone made this for the hosts and it’s getting a lot of mentions in their FB group at the moment. 14 people in one thread alone were making it today. Seriously!

I tried making this tonight and all seemed to be going well until the chocolate chips… I put them on after baking, waited 5 minutes and they wouldn’t spread at all. So I thought it didn’t get warm enough (they got glossy but not spreadable) so I put the whole sheet back in the oven which had been turned off but was still warm. Still didn’t spread so I tried turning the over back on and warming it that way and they never got soft enough to melt and spread :( They just sorta crumbled. What went wrong? Bad chocolate chips?!

Hi Deb, I’ve made this several times with Saltines and love it! I was wondering what would happen if I spread already melted chocolate directly onto the caramel without baking the caramel in the oven first. I was trying to understand why one needed to put the caramel covered crackers into the oven before spreading the chocolate, and if this step could be omitted. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

HI Deb, I’ve made this with saltines several times and LOVE it! I was just wondering if it was necessary to bake the caramel covered crackers before spreading chocolate on them or if I could just spread already melted chocolate on the caramel without putting it in the oven first? Is there a reason it needs to go into the oven? Thanks so much for your thoughts!

My guess is that we aren’t cooking the caramel to hard crack (or whatever the temp is for toffee). When I leave my spatula to cool, that caramel stays soft. Time in the oven continues to cook the caramel into a toffee.

Deb, I am having a piano recital here on Monday. I love cooking for these people. And our local high school has a culinary class. One of the students is coming in his chef coat to assist with the kitchen while I guide students and guests through recital. The pecans in this post are prepared and waiting, and because there will be young children with less sophisticated tastes than Homesick Texan’s queso, I’ll prepare your cracker cookies Thanks for help just when needed! So sorry I missed your Texas tour. Your newest is a gift to my goddaughter, and it will be spattered here and there as I am using before I gift it!

Hello! Thank you for this recipe! I have a question – I made 4 batches yesterday, but one of the batches turned out softer in the middle. I’m not sure if I didn’t boil the sugar/butter long enough or if I didn’t bake it long enough. It was almost chewy and didn’t snap as I broke them apart. Any idea on how to prevent this?? Thank you!!

It can happen. I had to make a double batch of caramel today because mine separated too. I melted the butter first, got distracted, then dumped the sugar all at the same in the melted butter. Big greasy mess. Did it again, carefully and stirring regularly, nice smooth caramel. My saltine crack is now ready to ring in a new (and hopefully better) year.

A fam favorite. We call it crack, too. My teen daughter makes it from memory. It is demanded multiple times a year from her friends for various occasions, major and minor. It is gifted to teachers who stop her in the hall and exclaim its deliciousness. Crack can take over your life.

Made this tonight using chocolate graham crackers and eliminating the extra chocolate on top (saving my chocolate chips for something else) and nuts (allergies in the house). Simple, but hit the spot. Thanks, Smitten Kitchen, for years of reliable recipes and laughs.

Pretzel crisps is a genius move for this! I’ll be trying that next time. Today, though, I did the standard recipe, but added minced, candied ginger to one portion of the toppings. That’s the portion I’ll be eating, as the most adventurous eater in the room.

I made this around the holidays with Glutino brand “table crackers” for GF guests, and it came out almost identical to the saltine version. I would sprinkle a little extra salt on next time, because the Glutino table crackers were not as salty as saltines, but the texture was the same!

Hi Deb- I am a longtime admirer of your recipes. You are my go to for all things in the kitchen. We are making this tonight to have after Seder Dinner . Have you ever considered making a cookbook with all holiday recipes??!!!??? Please???? Thanks for sharing all your recipes! :)

Oh my! I have been eyeing this recipe for so long and tonight seemed right to break down and make it. So simple yet so incredibly delicious. Love that it keeps in the fridge. I used 1 cup of chocolate chips instead of 1 1/2 and seemed still plenty to spread around. Looks like a new favorite. Thank you Deb.

On my god I was one of those who had never seen this before and felt I had to try it. I have never commented on your site before, but felt I had to say something.
I love your recipies. They are easy to make but usually have a lot bang for your money.

This crack, is totally addictive and KNOW that I will have to be making more before Chirstmas. Never knew it was so easy to make caramel.

Made them for reception after a Christmas service at my church. The room was packed, and I ran into a friend walking through the crowd with a piece of this magic in her hand, looking for who had made them! She wanted to go home right away and make some herself! So simple, so delicious.

I made half of this recipe in an 8×8 pan using saltines and European salted butter…I still added a bit more of salt to the caramel and I think I will add more next time. I also used trader Joe’s chocolate chunks and a mix of roasted sesame seeds, almonds and pecans. I really liked how this turned out not only because of the flavor, but because I was looking for this recipe to be able to withstand room temperature without loosing its charm, and it worked! However, I must said, that I put a couple of them in the freezer and those are outstanding. The sesame, caramel and salty concoctions worked great. I’m doing the full recipe today for a cookie exchange tomorrow! Thanks Deb!

I just made this and I couldn’t figure out how to fit 40 saltines into a half-sheet pan. After the fact I measured my pan – the measurements you give are 13 x 18 which is for a full cookie sheet. We shall see how it turns out. Explains why the saltines were swimming in the caramel sauce. I didn’t read through all the comments so maybe someone else had already commented on it. Fingers crossed it will be different but still good.

I was at a party yesterday and someone brought them, but instead of chocolate chips, he had spread them with homemade boiled chocolate frosting, the old fashioned kind that gets a thin crisp layer on top, and it was so much more delicious than the ones I normally make. I found a recipe for it online and will be doing it that way too from now on. It’s basically sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and milk, boiled and then beaten, like a quick fudge.

Honestly, it’s just what happens when chocolate is melted and then solidified again without tempering. So, you could temper it, but that’s a persnickety amount of work. You could add some coconut oil or butter to the chocolate, but it won’t get as hard unless it’s cold. Or, you can do as we do and just cover it with nuts or sprinkles or other toppings so it’s not visible, since it shouldn’t affect the taste.

Dear Deb,
I have made this for years and from your recipe and I, like so many and you, referred to it as matzo “crack”. Of course, the idea here is, as you say, it is so good that it is addictive, can’t stop eating it delicious. It is CRACK. I made it again this year for the family but following the thoughtful critique by San Francisco food writer Soleil Ho about the language we use in talking about food, I won’t call it “crack” – ever again. Those of us who have not experienced serious addiction closely might not understand how addiction – and the slang for addictive substances – is not a joke. Further, there is more than a racist note to the use of the word crack (and not just for this matzo chocolate caramel creation – it’s all over the place to describe all kinds of delicious stuff) for a substance that destroyed so many in the African American community. And if anyone thinks this may be an over-sensitive reaction, consider for a moment whether you would ever refer to something as matzo “fentanyl”, another substance that nobody (correctly in my opinion) makes jokes about or uses as a fun word to denote incredibly tasty. I hope you read Ms. Ho’s article on food language, consider her argument and refrain from using descriptors thoughtlessly. I love and admire what you have created and accomplished. But it is time to think about our privilege and position to make positive change. Thanks for all your hard work.